Waiting. In my entire life, I’ve never once heard anyone shout from the rooftops, “I love to wait!” or “Can I please stand in this line a little longer?!” It’s pretty safe to say that waiting is universally unwelcomed and seldom enjoyed. It can be lonely, painful, frustrating, confusing, and tiring.

It’s pretty safe to say that waiting is universally unwelcomed and seldom enjoyed. It can be lonely, painful, frustrating, confusing, and tiring.

So it’s not surprising that waiting gets a bad rap. But what if we allowed ourselves to have a paradigm shift? What if waiting didn’t have to be dreadful, depressing, and agonizing? What if we saw waiting as one of the most underrated gifts given to us by God? It’s important to remember what is true about waiting and to refresh our perspectives. Here are a few examples of lies we believe about waiting and what is actually true about these seasons of life.

But what if we allowed ourselves to have a paradigm shift? What if waiting didn’t have to be dreadful, depressing, and agonizing? What if we saw waiting as one of the most underrated gifts given to us by God?

Lie – Waiting is loss

It’s easy to believe we are falling behind when waiting seasons are prolonged. The lie is everyone else seems to be ‘winning’ and progressing and we are losing.

Truth – Waiting is gain

The process of waiting develops perseverance, trust, patience, and an intimacy with God. These traits are needed in every area of life. Also, God often gives us something better than we initially asked for. Persevering through the waiting allows for God’s best to enter our lives.

Lie – Waiting is a blank space

It’s easy to believe the lie that the pages of our story have stopped turning and time is being wasted because we don’t see anything happening.

Truth – Waiting is filled with action

Take heart, God never stops working. He still works even when we are not. Just because we may not see any action doesn’t mean things are at a standstill. There’s no need to strive because it’s not all up to us.

Lie – Waiting periods should be sped up

The belief that a shorter waiting period is better or equals less pain is false. Things can easily go awry when they are forced or shortcuts are taken. We are willing to settle for less in order to have a shorter wait time.

Truth – Waiting periods are intentional

Why does an expectant mother have to wait 9 months for her baby to arrive? Because the baby needs to grow and develop. Too much earlier or later than 9 months can be dangerous to the health of the baby. Sometimes God still has things He wants to grow and develop in you and I, so when that ‘thing’ comes, we will be ready and able to thrive. He never falls behind, and He is always on time.

Lie – Waiting is depressing

Our emotions will lie to us and say, “There is no joy to be had in this season of waiting. You will be depressed until that thing comes to fruition.” No doubt waiting is hard, but God never meant for us to be consumed by despair.

Truth – Waiting brings strength

Waiting develops perseverance which equips us for future trials. And when they come, we will not be overcome because we will have a history with God that proclaims He has come through, and He will come through again. Our strength will be renewed over and over when we hope and trust in Him and not in ourselves or the state of our circumstances.

Going into Slumber Mode

In waiting seasons, not only do lies creep in, but it’s easy to let our souls (mind, will, and emotions) go into slumber mode. We’re tired of renewing our minds of what is true and fighting against the lies. Our will to make good decisions with our money, body, or go out of our way to serve others is waning. Our emotions are harder and harder to keep in check especially when discouragement is always present. Hope seems to be slipping away.

Our emotions are harder and harder to keep in check especially when discouragement is always present.

“Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God” (Psalm 42:5). David spoke to his soul. He was honest with how he really felt – downcast and disturbed. He didn’t pretend to be ok. He was probably wondering when things were going to get better, when his soul would become upbeat again, and when laughter would replace the tears.

What did he do in the gap, in the waiting, while pain was still present, while he was downcast and disturbed, and while things looked hopeless? David spoke to his soul and said, “Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him…”  He made a decision to reject the temptation to let his soul slowly fall asleep into a cozy apathetic slumber and chose to AWAKEN it! He didn’t let his thoughts, actions, and emotions toss him around. He, along with God’s strength and promises, decided to direct his soul to a life-giving place.

With God

Speak to your soul and choose to believe that “…with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). God can do the unfeasible, unworkable, irrational, impractical, inconceivable, farfetched, unachievable, and the impossible. If you truly believe this, there’s no way your soul cannot awaken and hope again. Peace, rest, and contentment will soon follow even though your circumstance hasn’t changed.

Proclaim…

God sees me and is for me!

I choose not to waste my waiting!

Against all hope, my soul WILL choose hope!

I will squelch the slumber and awaken in my waiting once again!

Questions to Meditate On

Do you believe God is working on your behalf while you wait? Why or why not?

Waiting reveals what your prize is. Is it Him or the ‘thing’?

Are you standing in line by yourself, or are you standing in line WITH God? What does this practically look like for you?

 

About the Author: Kayla Kelly is the author of ‘Can I Be Your God?‘. Her career for the past 15 years has been in the health and wellness field. Starting in January 2022 she will be working full time as an Area Representative for Fellowship of Christian Athletes in Washington, DC. She loves to network, play tennis, garden, and invest in the upcoming generation.